Loving tribute to Saran plastic wrap as an indispensable household accessory.


This movie is part of the collection: Prelinger Archives

Producer: Dallas Jones Productions
Sponsor: Dow Chemical Company
Audio/Visual: Sd, C
Keywords: Materials: Plastics; Suburbia; Families: 1950s

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: bestpbx - - May 31, 2008
Subject: Kathy's bangs and a Talented Man!
The poor kid's bangs are more crooked than a dog's hind leg.

The dad was such a hero! Can you imagine a man from the 50's able to BOIL WATER???????

Reviewer: marianne333 - - April 6, 2007
Subject: its no wonder
this helps me remember why many of my mother's friends drank martinis before noon.

Reviewer: ERD. - - January 1, 2007
Subject: Superficial, but fun to watch
Of course this film was extremely idealistic, superficial, and dated- but it was lots of fun to watch! A real charmer.

Reviewer: TeddySalad - - July 2, 2005
Subject: I Think We Are Forgetting Someting-
As outdated and corny as this is, I enjoyed this film's reflection of a weird kind of suburban utopia. Not so much a film as it is a very long ad, it reflects the kinds of hopes and aspirations of average post-war Americans, at least according to what the ad agencies of the day thought. Although this film may seem silly to us today, it was probably quite thrilling to get oneÂs first freezer back then as having one represented a tremendous amount of time-saving. And, of course, Saran Wrap® was there to lead the way.

Reviewer: Marysz - - May 7, 2004
Subject: All Wrapped Up
Suburban housewife AnnÃÂs obsession with wrapping everything in plastic wrap in this film is certainly over the top, but this film conveys the innocent pleasure that people then took in such innovations. The film also shows how exciting the idea of owning a deep freeze wasÃÂand how the family saved up their pennies for it. The film has two, older maternal figuresÃÂMrs. Hansen, who shows their daughter Cathy how to make tacky candy flowers wrapped in plastic and the ÃÂHome Service RepresentativeÃÂ from the utility company, who shows Ann how to wrap meat in plastic for the freezer and unappetizingly, shows her how to freeze cupcakes. Maybe mothers werenÃÂt around to help out their married daughters in the isolated postwar suburbs. AnnÃÂs sister Peggy has a new baby (maybe thatÃÂs where mom is) which necessitates more plastic wrap and packing up the family into the Ford station wagon. Along the way, the they stop at a park for a picnic lunchÃÂcustomary in those pre-fast food days. Ann puts the baby on a blanket on the grass. She and husband Jack eat a simple lunch that looks miniscule by todayÃÂs standards. Despite its loopy sales pitch for saran wrap, this film shows the modest lives and expectations of many postwar families.

Reviewer: Steve Nordby - - November 17, 2003
Subject: Plastic: the cause of and answer to all of life's problems
Amazing what Saran can do! More than nice enough to make me want to go back to the 1950's when everything was so fresh and clean and under control. This young couple knows the value of modern living. A little extra thought and preparation with Saran wrap makes everything better. I don't know which is more artificial, Saran or the characters in this film.

Reviewer: Christine Hennig - - July 26, 2003
Subject: The Best Made Plans
A 50s housewife solves all problems with Saran Wrap plastic film. Of course, all her problems are the kinds we all want to have, such as freezer burn, last-minute party favors, and an unexpected trip to visit her sister, who has just given birth. I have a special affection for 50s home economics films like theseÃÂÃÂthey inhabit an unreal, spotless world where all problems are quickly and easily solved by using the correct products. My favorite moment in this one is when the friendly neighbor lady solves the party favor problem by showing the little girl how to make "flowers" from hard candies wrapped in Saran WrapÃÂÃÂwhen the husband asks if he can help, she sends him into the kitchen to boil water, as if a home birth were imminent. Lots of fun and quite mstable.
Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: ****. Weirdness: ***. Historical Interest: ****. Overall Rating: ****.

Reviewer: Spuzz - - January 16, 2003
Subject: Saran Wrap will solve ANY problem!
In this BADLY dated film, Saran Wrap is seen as the solution to ANY problem around the house. Got excessive meat in the freezer? Wrap it up! Got baby clothes? Wrap it up! Need party favors? Saran Wrap is used to make these god awful looking party favors, that of course are the hit of the party. The wife in the film is just so Saran Wrap obsessed it's almost frightening to comprehend what she'd use the wrap for if her domestic situation took a turn for the worse......

Shotlist

Uses the setting of a young child's birthday party to show how Saran Wrap can be used both for food preservation in the refrigerator and freezer and as an element in creative home and party decorations. PORTRAYS CREATIVE & TIME SAVING IDEAS FOR MODERN HOMEMAKING. SHOWS FREEZING, DECORATIVE IDEAS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY & IDEAS FOR PROTECTING SILVER, CHINA, LINEN, SEASONAL CLOTHING & EQUIPMENT USING PLASTIC WRAP. DESIGNED FOR TEACHING.


The Best Made Plans is a treasure house of fifties cliches, not a document
of "real life" during the early Cold War. The wife and mother is field
marshal of her household, administering chores, social activity, and
leisure by command and persuasion. (The unnamed actress who plays her also
appears in Office Courtesy: Meeting the Public, on the Free to Obey disc.)
Steady at her side is her passive, bumbling, whining husband, who wears a
barbecue apron-a given in pop-cultural representations of fifties
suburbia-and obeys her every command, even as family schedules change to
accommodate in-laws. The characters are living in Children's Standard Time,
an eternal suburban present. The adults have little agenda other than to
meet the needs of their children. The daughter is queen of the household;
nothing is permitted to frustrate or disappoint her, and excessive
attention is paid to her birthday whims. Still, Mom manages to get in a
long session with the home economist during which she learns how to wrap
meat for freezing, a crucially important skill in the paranoid fifties.
Lest we forget about Saran Wrap, The Best Made Plans presents it as a
product with nearly infinite uses. The film reaches the height of absurdity
when Mom packs for baby Tommy, stopping just short, it seems, of wrapping
up Tommy himself.

Plastic wrap Packaging Painting Husbands and wives Sex roles Gender roles Girls Daughters Barbecues Barbecue aprons Packaging Freezing Appliances Silverware China Linen Recreation Leisure Homes Houses Food Preparation Plastic Saran Wrap Narratives Men Women Families Children Birthdays Parties Picnics Automobiles Driving Garages Absurdity Humor Suitcases Babies Home Economics Housework Diapers Painting Sex Roles Cooking
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